HÀ NỘI — A fire broke out in the protected pine forest in Hà Nội’s outlying district of Sóc Sơn on Monday, resulting in the destruction of 100 hectares.

No casualties were reported.

According to Chu Phú Mỹ, director of Hà Nội’s Agriculture and Rural Development Department, the cause of the fire has not been determined, but the extreme hot weather that has lingered over the northern provinces in the past week could be the reason.

The fire reportedly started around 1.30pm on Monday in a forest in the district’s Nam Sơn Commune. As the weather was too hot, the flames spread quickly, and a column of smoke could be seen rising more than 100 metres above the forest.

About 2,000 people, including the local police and fire-fighting forces, were mobilised to prevent the fire from spreading, Mỹ said, adding that this was the biggest fire ever recorded in this area.

As the fire raged in the pine and acacia forest — inflammable material — and it occurred on the hillside far away from the city, it was difficult to detect.

The fire was brought under control at 3am on Tuesday.

As many as 20 households living close to the fire were evacuated for safety on Monday, he said.

Bùi Xuân Thắng, a resident from Nam Sơn Commune’s Hoa Sơn Village, said the fire destroyed over 15ha of the family’s pine tree and acacia forest.

There have been five cases of fire in the Nam Sơn protective forest since 2002, however, the damage was limited, as it was detected early, he said.

Thắng said that at least 10 other households had been affected by the fire.

Also on Monday, a fire occurred in the forest area of Hoàng Nông, La Bằng and Quân Chu communes of Đại Từ District in the northern province of Thái Nguyên.

About 13ha of protective forest under the management of Tam Đảo National Park were reported to be affected by the fire.

Investigations into the incidents are underway. — VNS